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+--- Thread: Aoostar Max vs DIY (/showthread.php?tid=12119)
Aoostar Max vs DIY - Enquiries - 06-23-2025
Hi,
Is the review of the Aoostar going to be ready soon?
I’m trying to deside if I should go for the Aoostar max, if it a good buy? Or go for DIY. The prices on pc parts has gone up quite a bit in Norway this last month, so the Aoostar might be cheaper and just as good.. so I eagering to find out what you think of it
Kind regards
Kenneth
RE: Aoostar Max vs DIY - ed - 06-27-2025
Hi Kenneth,
Great timing — the review of the Aoostar WTR Max is now live, and I’ve had quite a bit of hands-on time with it. The short version? It’s a serious bit of kit, and depending on your setup goals, it could absolutely be the smarter choice over a DIY build right now.
Here’s the key breakdown:
• Hardware: It’s powered by the Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS — 8 cores, 16 threads, ECC memory support, and integrated Radeon 780M graphics. That means it handles Plex 4K/8K transcoding and virtualization very well, even under heavy load.
• Storage: You get 6 SATA bays and 5 NVMe Gen 4 slots. Plenty of flexibility for tiered storage or cache setups. Just note that not all NVMe slots run at full speed — some are Gen 4 x1 or x2, and inter-M.2 transfer speeds are capped around 500–600MB/s due to internal lane sharing.
• Connectivity: Dual 10GbE SFP+ ports, dual 2.5GbE, OCuLink for expansion, USB4, and HDMI 2.1. That’s rare in this price range and very useful for future-proofing or hybrid NAS/workstation roles.
• Software: It ships bare — no OS included — so you’ll want to be comfortable setting up something like TrueNAS, Unraid, or Proxmox. But if you’re looking for full control and no ecosystem lock-in, this is a big plus.
Versus a DIY build? In Norway, where prices have jumped lately, the Aoostar is likely to offer better value unless you already have spare components on hand. While DIY gives you more modularity (e.g. PCIe slot for HBA, GPU, or 10GBase-T cards), the WTR Max trades that for a small footprint and surprisingly solid thermals thanks to the vapor chamber cooling and 4-zone airflow.
Final verdict: if your budget is around £1500 and you want a powerful, compact NAS with excellent storage flexibility and performance — and you’re fine setting up your own OS — the Aoostar WTR Max is genuinely impressive. It won’t beat a high-end DIY rig on every front, but it gets close enough for most, and saves you time and cost on assembly.